


The Next Ice Age

by Sakira_hime



Category: Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-22 16:13:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9615551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakira_hime/pseuds/Sakira_hime
Summary: She had grown up on her own, after the Fall of the Phoenix hit and tore her family away at the tender age of 6. She was a warrior; she was ice. But she was isolated. He hadn't grown up at all. His family had left during the Fall of the Phoenix, leaving him to wonder why they'd left him behind. He knew his core was ice, and he loved it. But he was alone, and he knew he'd always feel empty.





	1. Warrior by Necessity

**Author's Note:**

> Story Need-to-Knows:  
> The story takes place in an AU, after earth has been struck by the worst storm known to mankind: the firestorm people had dubbed “The Fall Of the Phoenix”. Ignis, ruler of flames, was angry that the great protectors had shunned him for his evil ways, and thus, vowed vengeance on their precious earth. Cities scattered, millions were killed, and millions more were viciously ripped away from their loved ones as the blue sky was torn apart by giant orbs of pure fire.
> 
> But, there may be hope.
> 
> Before the Phoenix, the eight protectors of the last human realm met in secret, having foreseen the firestorm. They devised a plan that each parent would transfer their magic to their first born children, giving the infants the power to overcome the demon that would soon return.
> 
> A/N: The eight protectors were paired up, for no one could single-handedly rule an element. They did not, however, get married nor did they have kids together, therefore the children were related only by destiny.
> 
> Most of the children had found their partners before the Phoenix, but some hadn’t been so lucky. Rapunzel and Flynn, wielders of light, Hiccup and Astrid, masters of dragons, as well as Merida and Angus, conquerors of fate, had all found one another before the apocalyptic storm. Angus was taken, however, by the great fires, and had left Merida alone with all of their combined power.
> 
> Jack and Elsa had not found each other, nor did they even know the other existed.
> 
> This is their story.

Elsa’s POV

My heart was thrashing against the inside of my chest, pumping furiously as I sprinted through the abandoned streets and past the derelict remainders of once beautiful buildings. My hand tightened around the hilt of my sword, though I had little reason to use it. Truth be told, I really didn’t need it. But it had belonged to my father, so there was no way I’d ever part with it. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder to see if I was still being followed. The street behind me was clear, but behind wasn’t where I should have been looking.

A large hulking figure fell on top of me, crushing my face to the ashy, broken ground. I felt its white hot talons claw at my exposed ribs, tearing through my flesh as though it were thinner than paper. I screeched in pain and flung the creature off, immediately getting to my feet; sword at the ready. I glared at the beast before me: it was black as night but made entirely of pure fire. Its eyes did more than glow; they emitted a light so bright it rivalled the intensity of the sun. It resembled the form of a giant bird, summoned from the deepest circle of Hell. _Well, this is hell now._  The demon and I circled each other, keeping a steady distance: each weighing the other’s weaknesses.

I’d fought these things off too many times to count, and I knew the only way to kill one was to rip its flaming life force from its chest. It throbbed visibly, a red pulsating light showing me exactly where it was. That was far from an easy feat, and I’d learnt the hard way. I couldn’t stand heat in any normal scenario, so burying my icy hand in the chest of a monster composed purely of flames was… damn near impossible. But I knew it was the only way. The creature shrieked one last frightening war cry, flying towards me. I smiled and lunged for its heart of fire.

 

Jack’s POV

I flew across the ruined buildings, using the wind to guide me. I gripped my shepherds crook tight, ready for the shriek I knew was coming. When it came, however, I was surprised to find that it hadn’t come from ahead of me, but below me. Dropping my gaze to the ground, I searched for the source of the ungodly cry. It was there, in a dark alley just a few hundred feet from where I was. The beast circled its prey, which appeared to be a young woman with white blonde hair pulled into a messy braid that fell to her hips. She wore silver armour with ice-blue trim that did little to actually protect her. The sword she held in her right hand was sharp as ice, and quicker than lightning.

I watched in awe as she expertly swung her sword forward, pushing the flaming bird into a corner. She raised her sword, attempting to deliver the final blow, when the creature lashed out; its’ fiery claw ripping at the exposed skin of her abdomen. She cried out, and what she did next surprised the hell outta me. She dodged the second attack and dove at the thing, her right hand flying through fucking fire, _and ripped its life force from its chest_. As the corpse fell to the ground, she crushed the pulsing flame in her hand, watching emotionlessly as the bird gave its final cry. I was astounded by her ruthless demeanour. Surely no one could be _that_ heartless.

I followed her silently as she made her way out of the alley, clutching at her side. The blood gushing from her ribs was a stark contrast to her pale skin. She stumbled and fell to the ground, letting out a few strained breaths before passing out. Once I was sure no one was around, and this woman was definitely unconscious, I swooped down. I picked her up effortlessly, and commanded the wind to take me home.

Elsa’s POV

I woke up without really waking. It was quiet and I vaguely wondered where I’d ended up this time. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d passed out in the middle of nowhere after a good fight. I felt a searing pain in my side and numbly tried to push the unknown force away. I heard someone sigh in what sounded like tense exasperation. My eyes flew open and I sat bolt upright, regretting it immediately. The room before me swam and my side felt as though it was on fire. Hissing in pain, I fell back, landing on something soft. I tried to focus on the ceiling of the room I was in, trying hard not to panic.

 _Okay, I’m injured, I don’t know where my weapons are, but I’m not defenceless,_ I thought, gingerly testing my ice in my right hand. A snowflake formed and swirled around my fingers before vanishing with one flick of my wrist. I concentrated on where the fire was, my core locating the blaze I felt in my side. I immediately felt the relief as frost spread across my skin.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, dear.” I flipped off the cot I hadn’t realised I’d been lying on, crouching into a defensive stance, my eyes searching for any sign of immediate threat. A woman in a short green dress stood a few feet away from me, watching me warily, hands in front of her, palms facing me.

“Who are you? Where am I?” I demanded. She smiled at me.

“My name is Tooth, and you are safe. This is the Pole, where most of the survivors fled during the fire,” she explained carefully. “And that is a very fatal wound you have there, freezing it might make it worse.”

I narrowed my eyes in response.

“Who brought me here?” The woman, Tooth, was about to answer, but was cut short.

“That, princess, would be me,” said a deep voice, followed by a chuckle. I spun round at the voice, wanting to rid the owner of his vocal chords. I stopped short when I saw him, though, unsure what made me pause. He was tall, and lanky, but the first thing I noticed were his eyes. They were the coldest blue I’d ever seen, my own included. Shocking that his eyes were the first thing I noticed, considering his hair was whiter than snow, standing up in odd places and just all-round gravity defying. He wore a lopsided smirk, along with a dark blue hoodie and brown pants. I raised an eyebrow when I noticed his lack of shoes. He lazily rested a shepherds crook on his shoulder, watching my observation.

“Like what you see?” he teased. Blinking incredulously, I met his haughty gaze head on, and smiled the most poisonous smile I could manage.

“Not in the slightest, kid,” I said, the smile dropping from my face instantly. He huffed indignantly, before plastering that irritating grin on his face.

“Next time, I’ll just leave you to die then,” he said flatly. I arched a brow, never once letting my guard down. I surveyed the room I was in. It was a large, circular space that seemed to be an infirmary of some kind. There were other table-cot-beds like the one I’d been lying on lining the walls.

Instinctively, my hand flew up to my injured side. The frost I’d created had melted already, leaving the gash open and oozing. It felt as though it had been set alight, though I knew that was an effect the gruesome fire birds had when attacking their prey. Their talons were laced with a concoction of venom, inflicting an excruciating pain that left the wounded feeling like they were on fire. The venom also kept the wound open, not allowing traditional medicine to heal it.

It hadn’t been the first time I’d been attacked; the last time I walked away with a 4 inch gash on my back. Now, all that remained was a faint, shimmery blue scar. I gritted my teeth and reluctantly squeezed my eyes shut, I didn't want an audience but I also didn't feel like dying. I heard a few gasps as I dug my fingers into the wound, freezing it from within. As experience had taught me, my ice couldn’t be projected to the wound, so I had to ‘administer’ my ice by hand. I felt it spread through the wound, slowly freezing and knitting the damaged tissue and freeing me of the inferno it caused.

Once the wound was sealed, I opened my eyes to examine it. Now that I could see it, it was only about an inch in length. The scar was quite beautiful, merging into a brand-like snowflake along my ribs. That was a trick I’d learnt a few years ago while experimenting with my ice as a form of body armour.

I looked at the crowd that had gathered in the room, all gaping at me. I suddenly felt extremely self-conscious.

“What?”

“How-how did you do that? No one has ever walked away from a fight with an Ignix, at least not alive,” Tooth exclaimed. I shifted uncomfortably, skin prickling; I was never okay with the idea of people knowing how powerful I was, especially a bunch of strangers who may or may not be friendly.

“It’s just something I learnt from a traveller a few years ago. I was attacked and he told me the only way to heal it was with Alemental Magic,” I said carefully, never betraying my cool exterior. They turned to look at the white haired guy in shock and disbelief. He stared at me as though I wasn’t real.

“How old are you?” asked a tall man near the door. My only way out, it seemed. I turned to face him.

“21.”

“How long have you been 21?”

 _They know,_ I thought to myself. I sighed and closed my eyes.

“183 years,” I replied.

“You’re her, I mean she’s you, I mean-”

“Yes, Jack, it’s her,” Tooth finished softly.

“Tia, that’s impossible. She died in the fire, with the rest of them,” the tall man spoke again, his accent one I couldn’t recognise.

“Bunny, look at her and tell me she’s not the spitting image of Idun!”

“I’m telling you, the odds are zero-to-none, I watched Adgar burn… his girls… they couldn’t have survived,” the tall man named Bunny finished, his voice constricting and clearly overcome with emotion.

“What if she lived?” They all turned to me, standing stock still as if to keep from scaring me off. The man named Jack glanced at Tooth, and when she nodded he slowly walked towards me, stopping a few meters from where I stood in an open stance. Non-threatening.

“Elsa?”

My stomach clenched uncomfortably; the twinge of whatever emotion it was felt foreign to me. I hadn’t heard that name in over a century. My eyes widened infinitesimally as he got closer, and without a second thought, I threw my hand in the air, pulling deadly sharp icicles from the floor and used the other to create a pair of ice wings. I took off, not bothering to look for my weapons, making a mental note to create new ones once I was safe. I didn’t regret the giant hole I’d left in the ceiling as I flew into the night, racing back to my hideout. When I knew I’d lost any trackers, I slowed down.

How could he, Jack, or any of them know my name?

I finally reached my ‘home’ (I suppose you could call it that), and stepped through the door. My home was nothing special, and considering I had been on the streets my entire life, it was definitely a step up. It was underground, but I’d made walls, floors and a ceiling completely out of ice, to keep the raging heat out. There was a simple kitchen, with as much food as I could find, as well as a bedroom that I hardly used. I’d barely slept in all my years of existence. I didn’t seem to need it, and hadn’t had the luxury of arguing with biology. There was also a bathroom with a shower because, really, who had time to bathe nowadays? And finally, a small living room where I’d modified old police radios, cameras and TV sets into a sophisticated tracking and surveillance system.

I paused when I realised something was missing. But before I could remember, a giant wolf with fur whiter than snow bounded out of my room and tackled me to the ground, howling happily.

“Hello, Kai.” I stood, scratching behind his ears and under his snout. He wagged his long tail and let his long tongue hang out the side of his giant maw. He and I had been together since I’d lost my family. Not long after the fire, I’d found a beautiful white cub, abandoned in a dark alleyway, shivering and clearly hungry. I took him in and we’ve never been separated. I usually didn’t leave him at home when I went out on patrols or hunting, so why I had today was beyond me. Ignix birds couldn’t stand a chance against him, but I guess I'd always been wary about him. He was 198 years old, certainly much older than what a wolf could naturally grow. I wondered if he would eventually die and I’d be alone again. Why was he so old, you ask? Again, I didn’t question biology. If it was so, it was so.

He licked my face to bring my attention back to him. _Hungryyyyyyy_ , he whined. Oh yes, as if being a somewhat supernaturally old wolf wasn’t enough, he could also speak telepathically. But only to me, apparently. Don’t question it, I always say. You might not want to know the answer.

“Okay, okay,” I relented. I got up and went to the kitchen, pulling a huge piece of raw meat out of the freezer. I tossed it at him and he caught the cold flesh in his monstrous jaw. I watched him rip at the meat, enjoying his thoughts. I could practically hear the _nom, nom, nom_ as he wolfed his dinner down. I knew he preferred hunting, but he never complained as long as he got a decent meal. Once he was done, he trotted over to me and nudged my thigh.

 _Can we walk?_ I patted his head and opened the door for him. He shot out into the darkness, and I ran out after him. This was the only time I felt… well, anything. Running with Kai was like being free, truly free.

We’d been patrolling the area immediately surrounding our hideout for about two hours, and neither one of us were anywhere near tired. Which meant that my body had enough energy to think about why those complete strangers knew my name, and why they thought I was someone important. Just as the thought intrusively entered my mind, so did a voice.

_Elsa?_

I staggered to a halt, and Kai turned to wait for me. I shook my head, trying to get the voice to leave.

_That’s not gonna work, Elsa._

I stared at the ground trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

_It’s Jack. The one who saved you from the Ignix. Guess this means you really are Elsa._

**That’s my name but I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’d already disposed of the Ignix before you came along.**

_Surely someone told you about us?_

**Us? There is no us. There’s just me, on my own, like I have been for the past two centuries. Now leave.**

_Yeah, that’s not gonna happen, you’re kinda stuck with me now._

I paled at the thought of having someone in my head like that.

**No. I refuse to have you anywhere near me, let alone inside my head. Get out before I find you and end you.**

_Will you calm the fuck down so I can explain?!_

I wasn’t actually upset, just uncomfortable. I only knew how to remove unpleasant things from my life. I sighed, but felt odd doing it. It’s not like he could see me.

_I can, actually._

**Gods Almighty. Are you asking me to kill you?**

_Wait! Not in the way you think, just let me explain!_

**Make it quick.**

_Really? You’re gonna throw that when you’re just like- gah, nevermind! You know of the Originals, yes?_

**Partially.**

_Well, you should. Your mother was one of them, just like my dad._

**Are we-?**

_No, we’re not siblings, cousins, no relation. Now shut up and let me finish! The Originals were a group of ten Alementals that were tasked with the protection of Earth. There was a pair for each Alement: Light, Darkness, Destiny, Dragon-Fire and Ice. They managed to protect the humans from evil for thousands of years. But the Monarchs of Darkness were greedy and power hungry. Ignis, most of all. He was so thirsty for domination that he actually killed his partner, Fura. The other Originals were outraged and banished him, revoking his right to pass his powers on. They never expected him to come back, much less wielding an army of flames and a storm to match. So when Elinor, Mother of Destiny, foresaw the attack, she warned the others._

_They decided that they would each pass on their Alemental Core to their firstborns. Those firstborns were Rapunzel and Flynn, Angus and Merida, Hayden and Astrid, and you and I. Our parents managed to pass their core magic on to us a good 20 years before the Phoenix. By the looks of it, they never told you._

**Where are the others?**

_Flynn and Rapunzel live in a small town called Corona with Rapunzel’s parents. Hayden and Astrid live on the island of Berk with Hayden’s mom and Astrid’s dad. Merida is alone; Angus was taken by the fire. It damn near killed Merida too, losing Angus._

**What do you mean?**

_We’re not designed to lose our partners. We were chosen to bear an equal share of the Alement given to us. By removing one half of the physical embodiment, Merida had the full force of their Alement surge through her. She’s powerful, but… Unstable. We aren’t meant to live apart._

**This is a little too ‘pre-ordained by the gods’ and ‘forever united, never apart’, don’t you think? Why have I been okay for all these years if we weren’t supposed to be apart?**

_Simple: you had no idea I existed. Your instinct took over and kept you alive. Wait, you believe me?_

**Not in the slightest, but this is quite entertaining.**

_Ugh, I didn’t think you did. Look, I wanna show you something. Will you stay where you are?_

**Not a chance. I don’t believe you, and trust is something I have no experience with. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll be going now. And so will you.**

Silence…

I sighed in relief. I wasn’t sure he would shut up, or that I’d get rid of him.

_Still here…_

I scowled at the pale moon that shone against the inky black night sky. Kai tilted his head at me in confusion. I took off, summoning a blizzard to take me as far away as possible. Kai sprinted after me, his midnight black tongue hanging out of his mouth. The cool breeze played with my hair, and the sensation was so amazing, I closed my eyes and smiled.

 _Now this is freedom_ , I thought.

_You’ll never be truly free, Elsa._

**Get out of my head.**

_I’m just trying to help. Look, this is just as confusing for me. But I need you to believe in me._

I slowed down, even though his voice rang crystal clear. I might as well give him a chance.

**Fine. But answer me this, why can I hear you?**

_It’s… complicated._

Don’t ask, that’s what I always say. But this was going to bug me. And if it was permanent, then I had to know.

**I’m not stupid, explain.**

_No, I didn’t mean you wouldn’t understand. I’m just not too sure myself, and explaining it will be really tough._

**Come find me.**

_On my way._


	2. Bond? What bond?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because of the little switch in POV in Chapter 1, I just wanted to point out that the story will be written in Elsa's POV (can you tell I love writing her? Coz I really do), and when the plot calls for Jack's POV, I will warn you guys!

I landed on the roof of a dilapidated building, quickly assessing the area before allowing Kai up. I only waited 3 minutes (yes, I counted), before an icy chill wrapped around my right hand. A soft thud led my hand to jump to my new sword, still not having recovered my father's, unsheathing it and pointing it to my right, the rest of my body entirely motionless. He was standing a good 10 feet away, but it felt like miles. Had I been feeling this the entire time? I concentrated on the ice cold grip currently kissing my fingertips, noting how it got stronger with each step he took.

“That’s far enough,” I ordered. He stopped a few feet away, just when the cold was beginning to actually bother me. Kai growled. His snarl shook the ground beneath our feet. I rested my free hand on Kai’s head, but never took my eyes off of Frost. I eyed the staff in his hand suspiciously.

“I won’t hurt you, I just want to figure out what’s going on,” he said in a low voice, eyeing my sword as well. I slowly lowered my sword.

“Why am I feeling this?” I demanded. I knew he’d know what I was talking about.

“It’s our Alemental Core, the halves can sense the other. It’s nothing to be afraid of, but I’m gonna need your help to figure some stuff out.”

“I thought you knew about this.”

“Every Alement is different, and every core reacts differently. So I have no idea how ours is going to react.”

I didn’t like the way he kept saying ‘our’, it made me uneasy. I didn’t know him, and now I had something that belongs to him too?

“You won’t find much sympathy here, Frost,” I said flatly.

“Attack me,” he said.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

I stared at him. Was he serious?

“Yes, I am, now do it,” he commanded. Something in my gut told me not to, but it wasn’t strong enough to stop me. Extending my arm, I released a surge of jagged icicles, sending them hurtling toward his unprotected torso. I grinned at the thought that I might finally be rid of him, but my smirk faltered. My icicles evaporated the second the came into contact with him. I growled.

“What is this?”

“An experiment,” he answered simply. My mind raged through the thousands of attacks I could try next, but he interrupted.

“It won’t work. After what Ignis did, the Alemental Cores changed. No Core can harm its partner. Therefore, you can’t kill me.”

My rage turned icy calm.

“After 204 years, 2 whole centuries, you pop out of nowhere with this fantasy story about how we’re ‘partners’ that share the same Alemental Cores? I have been alone, left by myself, for over 190 years, Frost. How could you think I’d believe any of this? Much less go along with it?” I demanded coolly. His brow furrowed and he appeared to be deep in thought.

“What happened to you 43 years ago? Your shoulder, specifically,” he said, pointing at my left side.

“How did you…?”

“What happened?” he pressed.

I frowned and removed the armour from my shoulder, pulling the black T-shirt down to reveal a scar that ran from the top of my shoulder half way down my upper arm. He marched towards me, ignoring Kai’s persistent snarling. His face was inches from my shoulder and I was itching to tear his blue, blue eyes out of his skull. He studied the scar for a few seconds before standing up straight. It irked me to no end that, at this distance, I had to crane my neck to meet those soon-to-be eyeless sockets.

“Fire-Blade?”

I nodded once, silently.

“I know, I felt it.”

I narrowed my eyes. Of course we would have some cheesy joint pain-sensory.

“No, it’s not like that,” he countered, and that tingling urge to rip into his face got a tiny bit stronger.

“I only feel what you feel when you can’t use your power to heal yourself. Naturally. So, whenever you’re attacked by Ignis apparently. And emotionally. Which would explain why I’ve never felt heartache,” he mocked. “You’re the only one of us who’s faced Ignis.”

_Oh gods…_ I heard his weird telepathic projection.

“You’re the only one of us who’s faced Ignis.”

“Why does that matter?”

He stared at me with his mouth slightly open. It kinda made me uncomfortable.

“Hey,” I said, snapping my fingers in front of his face. He blinked and jumped out of his stupor.

“Oh, uh, it doesn’t,” he said, too quickly for it to be the truth. And, boy, was I good at catching liars. But I left it alone. I couldn’t hear anything telepathically, which meant he was lying and knew how to hide it from me. I was growing tired of his presence, and the icy feeling in my hand would not stop. In fact, it had begun to spread up my arm, prickling at my shoulder. But as it crept towards my collar bone, it became a caress; soft and slow. It sent shivers scuttling down my spine.

A chuckle snapped me to reality. I opened my eyes, not realising they were closed, and glared at the  _child_ before me.

“Hey! I’ll have you know I’m only 10 years younger than you!” he huffed, crossing his arms and basically proving my point. I turned back to Kai, who had relaxed in correspondence with the situation. He now eyed Frost with careful regard, watching his every move.

Again the ice drew my attention, as it slowly made its way to my spine. I shivered slightly.

“Feels amazing, doesn’t it?”

“What is it?” I asked, more than a little perturbed that he seemed to feel it too. He smirked and took an emphatic step forward, pausing to look at me before his foot was completely flat on the ground. From where I was, sitting back on my knees next to Kai, I could almost hear the frost creeping and cracking through my veins. He took another tentative step, and this one shot pulses of cold up my spine. I sat ramrod straight, my eyes wide and fixed on his. My face refused to mirror his mischievous grin.

“That,” he said, punctuating his word with another step, “is what is going to make you believe every,” -step- “single” -step- “word.” –step.

The very last step landed him not two feet from where I sat. The ice now covered and engulfed every inch of my body, and I tried my damnedest to keep my face as impassive as possible. He continued to watch my expression with a smug smirk on his face. It irritated me. I stood up and faced him, only to realise that I stood facing his chest. I breathed in deep and arched my neck to meet his eyes. What I saw should have scared me, but I stood my ground, eyes blazing.

“And what if I still choose not to believe you?”

He lowered his eyes to meet mine, slightly tilting his head to the left, as if examining me.

“I’ll make you.”

I blinked slowly, not catching on. Until-

“You’ll make me…?- Frost! NO!”

His grin widened impossibly and he grabbed my waist, carefully avoiding making direct contact with my exposed skin. He threw me over his shoulder with ease and pushed off, using the wind to guide him.

“Frost! Put me down right now! So help me, I’ll-“

“You’ll what, princess?”

 I aimed a swift kick at his stomach, causing him to promptly drop me, a convenient 700 feet from the ground. I heard his mental gasp as I plummeted to the earth. I relished in the adrenaline that coursed through my body, closing my eyes as I summoned my favourite set of wings to soar through the chilled air. Letting out a gush of air, I turned onto my back, facing him above me. He looked downright astonished. Before he could make a conscious move, I winked at him and flew off at a dangerous speed.

I smiled triumphantly as the iciness in my body began to fade, but quickly stopped when it was replaced by an excruciating pain I had never experienced before. Frost’s voice invaded my mind, sounding distant and broken, like we had bad signal.

_Elsa… Wait… Hurts… Too far…_

I panicked; the further I went the worse it got. Reluctantly and exasperatedly, I turned and raced back to where I’d left him. He wasn’t in the air. Instead, he was crouching on the roof we’d previously occupied, clutching his chest. I fell to my knees, welcoming the chill as it pushed the pain out, seemingly replacing it.

“Elsa,” he choked out, meeting my eyes in annoyance. “Do NOT do that again!”

“How was I supposed to know that would happen?! You’re the one with all the answers, Frost!” I accused. I took a good look at him and noticed how haggard he looked. His eyes were still shut, and he winced in pain with every word I yelled.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I think it’s safe to say that you’re the one who’ll survive.”

“What does that mean?” It was a really strange statement to make, in my opinion. Who was at risk of dying?

“Me, apparently,” he said, answering my thoughts. I threw him a quizzical glance and he continued.

“Technically, we’re immortal. But since cores are able to inhabit one physical body, thanks to Merida and Angus, cores can choose which body to possess in case one of us dies. And apparently, ours chose yours.”

He looked really pissed, but I was starting to worry that this was all possible. I’d be stupid to ignore the physical signs. And, according to Frost, we didn’t have to actually talk. We just couldn’t be too far from one another. I guess I could live with that.

“I really hope so,” he said, finally getting to his feet.

“Okay, listen up. If this is gonna work, you need to stop doing that,” I deadpanned. He smirked.

“Doing what?” he asked innocently. I was beginning to get really mad, and I couldn’t rationally understand why. I stalked forward and backed him into the corner of a ruined green house (graciously provided by some environmentally conscious human that had previously lived there) and snarled in his face.

He looked half amused, half wary as he retreated, keeping his bare hands a safe distance from me. I curled my hand around his throat and felt his breath catch. He braced himself against the glass behind him, but that infuriating smirk never left his face. I could tell he was enjoying this.

“You will understand one thing, Frost. I am no toy, I am no play thing that you can pick up when you are bored and throw away when your immaturity deems necessary. I am not afraid to kill you, nor will I harbour any regret in hiring someone to do it for me.” (I remembered what he’d said about core pairs not being able to harm one another...)

“So you will play by _my_ rules, on _my_ terms and you will _not_ screw with my existence, understand? You are a minor speed bump in the grand scheme of my reality.”

His eyes burned with such intensity that I almost stuttered. I quickly searched for a physical distraction, and sure enough, I found one.

I tore my gaze from his face and focused on the strange stinging in my hand. It wasn’t the normal sting; this sensation was persistent, but not entirely unpleasant. I stared at my hand, the sensation growing when he tried to swallow. I loosened my grip, but not my hold. Instantly, the stinging softened to a smooth tingle, like the after effect of a sleeping limb. Furrowing my brow, I looked back at Frost, his eyes showing nothing, his mind just as quiet.

**I’m actually not going to ask.**

_I told you, you can’t hurt me. Even though you weren’t planning on killing me just then, your half stopped you. Just in case._

**So, basically, I can’t touch you? What’ll happen if you irritate me and I snap your spine?**

_You’ll feel everything. But… I didn’t say you couldn’t touch me._

He reached up and pulled my hand from his throat, threading his fingers through mine. I gasped at the bolt of icy electricity that shot through my arm. I stared wide eyed as he moved my hand to his cheek. I was frozen stiff. I couldn’t concentrate on anything besides his cold fingers. My jaw clenched at the sudden contact.

He smirked at my reaction.

_See? Not all of this is bad._

**No, no way. This is bad.**

I pulled my hand to my chest, flexing my fingers to rid the numbing sensation.  I refused to look him in the eye as I backed away.

“Kai!” I called. The enormous wolf was at my side in a heartbeat. He gently nudged my thigh, and I lay my hand on his neck while I tried to sort through my chaotic psyche. I couldn’t run, the pain was too unbearable. I couldn’t kill him, for fear of either killing myself or losing myself. So, I was basically stuck with the idiot.

A searing screech pierced my thoughts, and Jack’s eyes locked with mine, a mirror image of the ferocity in my expression.


	3. I Don't Do "Roommates"

On the roof across from me, a dark purple cloud of swirling smoke completely obliterated any light from the Moon, casting an eerie shadow that seemed to stretch out, endlessly reaching out, clawing at my feet. It was what I would call an all-consuming vortex, a black hole that sucked you up just to spit you back out again. I’d only ever seen it once before, when Jack so mysteriously mentioned my encounter with the Big Bad Wolf himself: Ignis. The looming presence not 100 feet from where I stood was no doubt the God of the Black Flame.

“Elsa, we need to run,” Jack muttered. I wasn’t having any of it.

“Looks like you came back for seconds,” I called, summoning my Sword of Glacies as I stalked past Jack with Kai growling viciously on my heels.

“Elsa, stop, we need to go,” Jack pleaded, but I ignored him. This monster stole everything from me.

“Greetings, Ice Queen,” Ignis bowed mockingly, his treacherous smirk like bile in my throat. “Forgive me, but I do not wish to engage in battle, I simply have a message.”

“Is he afraid?” Jack muttered from somewhere behind me. I shook my head, a sneer crawling its way onto my face.

“No,” I answered. “He’s not afraid. He’s not really here.”

“What?”

“Very astute, Ice Queen,” Ignis said, his smirk stretching into a sickening smile. With that, I sheathed my blade and calmed Kai.

“What message?” I demanded. The projection of Ignis bowed his head slightly before answering.

“Six months from now, the primary moon, Lunaria, will be eclipsed by Solaris. Heed this warning: stay out of my way, Ice Queen. This world will be mine, and should you co-operate, you will be free.”

And he vanished.

I stood stock still, breathing slowly, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Solaris was what was left of the Sun, and our primary moon, Lunaria, was just a huge meteor that had gotten stuck in the earth’s orbit during the Phoenix. Our moon had been destroyed along with half the planet. The heat of the flames engulfing earth was so strong that anything passing near our orbit was demolished or, if big enough, frozen in our orbit. Lunaria was technically one of Jupiter’s largest moons that had been knocked out of orbit due to the galactic shock that Ignis caused. And Solaris was Ignis’ source of power, a giant lacrima of his power fused to the Sun. This eclipse would grant him unconditional power.

“He’s out of his mind,” I mumbled. An eclipse like that could wipe us all out, in the blink of an eye.

“He’s out of his mind,” I repeated, breathing harder.

“Kai!” I yelled. Immediately, he was at my side again, whining quietly. I turned to leave, summoning my ice wings and striding towards the edge of the rooftop. I had one foot on the ledge when a voice stopped me.

“Elsa,” Jack called. Damn. I’d forgotten about him, to be honest. And maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to remind me why I was pissed at him. I pushed off the ledge and rounded on him, Kai’s hackles raising in accordance to my rage.

“You,” I growled menacingly, backing him to the other ledge. He’d be fine if he fell, but all I saw was a way to kill him.

“You need to stay the fuck away from me.”

“We both know that’s impossible. And I really don’t feel like dying a painfully slow and agonising death,” he said cockily, back flipping off the ledge to float mid-air.

“A pity, because I would gladly grant you a painfully slow and agonising death,” I muttered darkly. I was beginning to see a little clearer, but it did nothing to calm me down. He was gonna get it, even if I felt every bone snap and muscle tear.

“Why are you so angry at me? I didn’t ask for this either,” he demanded, his dark brows furrowing angrily. So I laughed. I laughed and it soothed my fury somewhat. What was his story again?

“And what exactly have you been doing since the Phoenix?” I asked simply. He frowned as if the question was illogical.

“A few days after the Fire, Nick found me and took me in,” he said unsurely. “I’ve been helping him and everyone else look after the kids who were orphaned.”

So I laughed harder, bitterly.

“Where were you?” I asked softly. He was about to say something before I cut him off. “Where was Nick, and everyone else when my family was taken from me? Where were they when I was forced to fend for myself, when I was only 6 years old, and when I had to kill that child to end his suffering? Where?” I demanded, my voice barely a whisper.

“Elsa, I-”

“Didn’t know? Obviously,” I muttered, turning my back to him.

“So don’t stand there and act like this is the worst thing to ever happen to you. I’ve been alone all my life, for two centuries, and now I’m told I’m one half of a mystical Super Ice Duo? No, not happening. I refuse, I _refuse_ to be linked to anyone but Kai, least of all you!”

“Get off your high horse, princess,” he yelled angrily. “We’ve all lost something too precious to replace. You think I’m okay with knowing that my family _willingly_ left me behind?”

I was stunned, to say the least. Who knew the kid had the balls to yell at me? But hell if I was gonna feel bad for him. He was right, we had all lost something. So why should I feel bad if he had suffered like I had? I simply looked at him, his fists clenched and breathing heavily.

“I don’t see how anyone would be okay with that. But pointing it out won’t change my mind,” I said scathingly. He gaped.

“I wasn’t trying to change your mind, I-” He paused his half yell midway, a look of petulant realisation dawning on his cold features.

“Hold on,” he said slyly, cocking his head to one side, icy blue eyes regarding me in what I could only describe as something I never wanted to see again.

“What?” I demanded half-heartedly, almost fearing his answer. But he _giggled_.

“You’re afraid,” he managed between fury-inciting laughter. It was my turn to gape as his laughter turned to outright hysterics. I’d kill him if it was the last act I ever committed.

“Hey, now,” he warned, his laughter dying out dejectedly. Snarling, I grabbed the front of his fucking sparkly hoodie and pulled him to his feet.

“I have _never_ been afraid, got it? Never!” I threw him aside and stormed towards the edge of the building again, feeling more tired than I had in decades.

“Wait a sec!”

I spun around and shot him the most menacing glare in my arsenal, causing the boy to recoil.

“I am the stronger one, yes?” He nodded confusedly, to which I smirked.

“Then _you_ follow _me_.”

I left him muttering incoherently and scrambling to his feet as Kai and I took off.

~

Three weeks.

 _Three fucking weeks_.

Three unholy, Lucifer-certified, torture-filled gods-damned weeks of this hell!

“Elsiiiiie!”

“Don’t fucking call me that, brat!”

“But I’m boooored!”

Update: the Prince of Unholy, Lucifer-Certified, Torture-Filled gods-damned existences was now living in _my_ fucking house, eating _my_ fucking food, sleeping in _my_ fucking bed and making nice with _my_ fucking Kai!!

Update 2.0: My cursing has since quadrupled. I can't imagine why…

“Then go play in the snow!”

Presently, while attempting (and I really was, honest to Oden) to find my zen (wherever that may be), Popsicle-Boy was making puppy eyes at me. Was my eyebrow ticking? I couldn’t even tell anymore.

Update 2.5: I have also recently discovered a lot about this evil connection between us. Yes, it’s evil. Imagine being physically and mentally connected to a 2 year old. But, I digress. So apart from telepathic communication (voluntary or not), apparently we both have the ability to pinpoint the other’s location (so much for my escape plan), predict the other’s next move in battle (I guess that’s a good thing if I actually wanted to be a part of the Super Duper Ice Duo), as well as transfer a portion of our Alemental Core to the other in case of emergencies. I’m almost certain Alemental Pairs were born with instruction manuals and Ignis had burned them all as a sick joke just to make this harder for us.

Bastard.

“You keep calling me Popsicle-Boy and I’ll have to make you regret it.”

Did my eyebrow stop twitching? Maybe. Did my ears perk up? Maybe. Did my killing intent suddenly rear its ferocious and fearsome head?

Absolutely.

“Well, well, Popsicle-Boy, I don’t see how those twigs you call arms will make me regret anything except the amount I could have saved on toothpicks,” I drawled through a good, long yawn. Oh yes, I was baiting him, stooping to his level, and being just as childish. So what? I hadn’t broken anything in a while, I was overdue.

To my immense satisfaction, his pale cheeks turned a lovely shade of crimson and puffed out indignantly, the fingers on the end of his toothpicks clenching into fists.

Gotcha.

_SPLAT!_

“What the f-?!”

Did he... throw a _SNOWBALL AT ME?!_

By the time I’d wiped the snow from my eyes, he was gone. I heard his cackle on the surface, and the sound tugged me forward unexpectedly. He’d mentioned something about that before. What had he said? Something his ability to something with people’s something or the other? Ah, I wasn’t exactly trying to pay attention, and right now I wanted to separate his something from his body. Permanently.

I shrugged the incessant tugging off and flew through to the makeshift elevator and up towards the burning surface, sword at the ready. What was strange was the cheek-splitting grin plastered on my face. No matter how hard I tried, it stayed there, this foreign obscurity marring my usual mask of cold indifference. I shook my head as I spotted him, a few hundred metres ahead, whooping like I wasn’t about to kick his butt into the next galaxy.

But his laughter became contagious, and soon I was laughing too, albeit reluctantly. It went against my morality as a cold, emotionless survivor, you see? But there I was, this ungodly sound finding its way out of my throat and mouth, soaring on the wind to meet his ears.

He turned around in pure shock, and it just got worse. I laughed even harder, if that was possible. Subconsciously, I’d lowered myself onto the nearest rooftop and dropped to my knees, hugging my middle while tears streamed from my eyes. He landed next to me, and I was just able to hear his telepathic projection of mild concern for my sanity.

**That’s a battle long lost, buddy.**

And he cracked up. There we were, a pair of weirdos with fucked up pasts, uncertain presents and pre-ordained futures, laughing like care-free children as if there was nothing wrong.

I summoned a huge ball of soft ice and hurled it towards him, roaring triumphantly when it buried him completely, leaving only his stick-like arms flailing about on either side. His snow-garbled war cry was drowned out by my own laughter, which led to my own unfortunate snow burial. I dug my way out, spitting curses and ice as I aimed a hundred floating snow projectiles at him. He smirked as he created an ice shield, his childish features twisting into an expression that practically screamed ‘I dare you’.

I, being the merciful queen of apathy that I was, was only too happy to oblige. I launched the mini snowballs at him, creating more to replace the ones I’d already fired, chuckling all the while. I hadn’t expected his retaliation.

The Snow-Boy I’d been aiming at disappeared, and at the same time, a large hand curled around my ankle, forcefully yanking me downwards until I was buried neck deep in unbreakable ice.

“You sneaky little fucker!” I roared, shooting upwards and shattering his ice in a brilliant display of not-so-modest brute force. With the flick of a wrist, he was wrapped up in a flurry of snow and ice, where I held him in the palm of my hand, threatening to crush him.

“Do you yield?” I called. He shook his head.

“Not on your ice, princess!”

So be it. I curled my hand into a fist, slowly tightening my ice’s hold around him. He cried out and fought against the pressure, and I was pleased to find that I felt none of the pressure, which meant I could finally control my urge to murder him. _Lucky snow brat._

“Okay, I give!” he laughed, and I dropped him unceremoniously to the ground. He shook the snow from his hair and chanced a sheepish look at me, that damn smirk never leaving his face. But I laughed, and so did he. We laughed hard, and long, and hysterically.

But eventually, it hurt to laugh, even smile, and soon the sound of laughter died off, turning to laboured breathing. Whatever magic he’d used on me earlier was long gone, and I felt comfortable in my armour again. I got to my feet, trying to clear my mind of what he’d shown me. The one thing I knew would destroy everything I’d worked so hard to achieve.

The one thing I knew would destroy me.

The only thing I swore I’d never acknowledge again.

Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been my favourite chapter to write so far, and yes, Elsa needs to be as heartless as she can be. The plot calls for it and I enjoy tormenting the precious babies


End file.
